GARDAÍ this Monday (September 15) arrested and were questioning a man and a woman in connection with the murder of Lee Slattery, whose body was found by his father in Limerick 15 years ago.
Mr Slattery’s remains were found in a shallow grave in a wooded area at Delmege House estate, near Moyross, on May 31, 2010.
The 24-year-old, from Ballynanty Beg, Limerick, had been shot several times in his body and head.
His body was discovered by his father, Ray Slattery (who passed away in 2021), after he had received confidential information about the location.
A Garda statement issued this Monday confirmed that Gardaí arrested “a man and a woman in their 30s” as part of the murder probe.
“The man and woman are currently detained at Garda stations in the Southern Region under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007,” the Garda statement said.
“Gardaí continue to appeal to anyone with information to contact them at the incident room in Mayorstone Park Garda Station at 061 456 980, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.”
Monday’s detentions of the two suspects brought to 27 the number of arrests in connection with the murder.
After the body was located, a post mortem performed by now retired State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy found that Lee Slattery died after being shot in the head and body.
A semi-automatic pistol was found in follow up Garda searches.
The gun was sent for ballistics testing to establish if it was the murder weapon.
Gardaí were working on the theory that Mr Slattery was murdered by associates of the once notorious McCarthy-Dundon criminal gang over an outstanding drug debt.
Most of the gang are serving lengthy jail sentences for murder and other serious crimes, however nobody has been charged in connection with Mr Slattery’s killing.
At the time, Garda Superintendent John Gilligan, of the Garda Press Office, now retired, said that “there are people out there with information and we’re anxious that those people come forward, in confidence, and speak to us”.
He said that Mr Slattery “was a father of one child, he is obviously going to be desperately missed by his family; this is an awful way to die, a desperate act, to be left in a shallow grave after being shot”.
“We’re determined that the ruthless criminals responsible for this will be brought to justice,” Supt Gilligan said.
